Students

Did you know that a child who begins reading with a loved one for only twenty minutes a day in kindergarten will hear approximately 1.8 million words a year? And then, if the child continues reading twenty minutes a day up to sixth grade, they will have collectively read for 851 hours! Just imagine how many worlds, experiences, and stories 1.8 million words can create. 

Children’s books such as Rainbow Fish, Oh the Places You’ll Go, and Stacey’s Extraordinary Words, inspire students at a young age to explore their imaginations and create excitement and kindness throughout their lives. Later on, young adult fiction stories like, You Should See Me in a Crown, Turtles all the Way Down, and Tuck Everlasting, give readers a resounding message of ‘You are not alone,’ in a time when young people need to hear it the most.

“Reading is relaxing,” commented Roxxane Kincaid, West High Library Clerk. “Books can take you into your own world and take you anywhere you want to go. With books, everyone can relate to their own experiences.” Edna Kovac, West High Student and Library Co-op Participant, agreed, adding, “Yes! I feel like reading helps calm me down when I’m stressed.”

In addition to helping teens and children learn more about the world around them, reading for twenty minutes a day is also shown to help improve reading skills as measured by the school’s standardized tests. 

Thankfully, our schools’ Media Specialists are ready to help our students each step of the way, finding books and authors that are relatable, informative, and geared toward students’ individual reading preferences. 

West High School: Edna Kovac, Sierra Meeks, Alyssa Bruecken, and Roxanne Kincaid

“Students look for books that reflect their experiences,” said Bruecken, Library Integrationist. 

• Such a Fun Age, by Kiley Reid
• Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space, Edited by Vita Ayala 
• White Smoke, by Tiffany D. Jackson
• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, by Bryan Stevenson
• Fighting Words, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

 

East High School: Meghan Sullivan & Denise George

“Reading helps students feel more connected, less isolated, and more engaged,” commented Sullivan, Technology Integration Specialist

• Where the Crawdad’s Sing, by Delia Owens
• Ordinary Hazards, by Nikki Grimes
• Akata Woman, by Nnedi Okorafor 
• Dear John, Nicholas Sparks
• A Child Called “It”, by Dave Pelzer
• Took: A Ghost Story, by Mary Downing Hahn

 

Bunger Middle School: Kristen Hinders

“Books can build trust and help kids open up through their individual interests,” shared Hinders, Technology Integration Specialist. 

• Efrén Divided, by Ernesto Cisneros
• Redwood and Ponytail, K.A. Holt
• Lifting as We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box, by Evette Dionne

 

Madison Heusinkvelt – Poyner Elementary 

“If we can make kids interested in being lifelong readers, then we are also helping them to become lifelong learners!” noted Heusinkvelt, Media Specialist. 

• The Rabbit Listened, by Cori Doerrfeld
• The Very Impatient Caterpillar, by Ross Burach
• Small Spaces, by Katerine Arden

Whether it’s getting inspired with books about life experiences, enjoying graphic novels that share heartwarming stories, or re-reading old favorites before they make their big screen debut, we all read for a variety of reasons. Kincaid may have said it best, “Reading helps us all come together.”